The most common reason for horse death or euthanasia is colic. Of all of the horses affected by colic the death rate from this type of intestinal problem has been reported to be approximately one in ten horses. Colic or symptoms indicating colic may occur within a few hours after feeding. Acknowledged symptoms indicative of colic include refusing grain and hay, kicking at the belly, lying down and getting up only to go down again, attempting to roll with tack on, pawing, kicking out behind, sweating, bloating, looking at the belly, squatting, squealing, and straining as if trying to pass urine.
Two recognized types of colic are tympanic or gas colic and impaction colic. Tympanic or gas colic is caused by excess gas accumulation in the stomach or other portions of the digestive tract. Impaction colic is caused by blockage of the gut, usually the large intestine by ingesta. Colic may often lead to obstruction of the blood supply to the intestine which also is a cause of some of the colic symptoms.
The true causes of gas colic and impaction colic have not been firmly established despite intensive research since its existence was first reported as occurring in an army camp in Scotland at the turn of the century. Current opinion favors the hypothesis that colic is caused by a toxin in the grass or other feed, which damages the nerves of the sympathetic system supplying the gut, causing paralysis of the alimentary tract of the horse. Stress, as well as overfeeding, abnormal feeding schedules or changes in feed, moldy feed, weather changes, cribbing, or ingesting of foreign material may also result in a horse having a colic condition. Gas colic may be caused by the feeding of certain grains to horses which leads to fermentation in the horse's stomach. Ground barley has been found to lead to such fermentation.
The severity and duration of colic in horses depends upon the extent of the damage to the horse's digestive track. In some cases, the colic may resolve itself, but in others it may lead to profound disturbances in fluid and salt content of the blood of the horse and culminate in a state of shock and heart failure causing the death of the horse. Occasionally, severe gas colic may result in a horse suffering a ruptured stomach.
Treatment of colic in the past has included the use of a stomach tube to relieve gas pressure on the horse's stomach and giving an antacid-antigas type medication such as MAALOX.sup..TM.. Also, a common laxative usually given by a veterinarian for a horse showing colic symptoms is a mineral oil administered by stomach tube, which is administered to loosen the blockage. A side effect of giving mineral oil internally to a horse is that the oil will deplete stored vitamins in the horse's system and will also block absorption of vitamins from the horse's stomach.
Another horse ailment often linked to the feeding of horses is founder, also known as acute laminitis. Founder affects the sensitive laminae, the living glue between the horse's coffin bone and the overlying hoof wall. The sensitive laminae of the horse has a circulatory system that normally consists of arteries and veins connected by capillaries. These capillaries around the coffin bone provide oxygen and nutrients to all the parts of the sensitive laminae which are dependent on the continuing supply of blood for their survival. Interruption of this circulation for any reason quickly leads to the death of the sensitive laminae. This condition can necessitate euthanasia of the horse or can result in a chronically unsound horse.
Founder in a horse is a metabolic problem which can be caused by many systemic illnesses among which are colic, respiratory infections or other respiratory ailments, and overwork. Toxins in feed, particularly toxic products of fermenting foodstuffs, and feeding on excessive amounts of grain, especially grain meant for chickens, hogs, and cattle too much grain both may lead to founder in horses. Founder has generally been treated by standing a horse in cold water. Also, anti-inflammatory drugs may be administered in conjunction with a pain killer, and a laxative may be administered to evacuated the toxins from the horse's digestive tract.
A product which has been used in the treatment of various ailments in humans is an oil extracted from pine trees. Such an oil is known under the general name of pine oil or pine needle oil. Such as oil has been described in Extra Pharmacopoeia, The Pharmaceutical Press, Edited by Todd, R. G., London, England, 1969, as a colorless or faintly yellow oil with a pleasant aromatic odor and a bitter pungent taste, obtained by distillation from the fresh leaves of the Pinus mugo variety pumilio (Fam. Pinaceae), a variety of mountain pine. Such a pine oil is described as containing about 4% to 10% by weight of esters, calculated as bornyl acetate, C.sub.12,H.sub.20,O.sub.2.
Oleum Pini Sylvestris or fir-wool oil has also been previously described as an oil distilled from the fresh leaves of the Scotch pine, Pinus sylvestris. Such a pine oil is now available commercially. However, the presently commercially available oil now sold under this name is a distillate from the leaves and twigs of various conifers.
Human usage of such pine oil has taken advantage of pine oil's antiseptic and expectorant properties, as well as its diuretic and laxative properties. Humans have also inhaled the oil mixed with steam, sometimes with the addition of menthol, eucalyptus oil, and compound benzoin tincture, to relieve cough in chronic bronchitis and asthma. Humans have also applied the oil externally to the skin as a rubefacient in the treatment of sprains and fibrositis.
Generally, the buds found at the tips of the shoots of the pine, and the leaves or needles of the pine have been of pharmacological interest in treating humans. The buds were gathered in March or in the autumn when they contain an essential oil with anti-catarrhal and diuretic properties. An infusion of the buds in boiling water, sweetened, has been used to treat human bronchial and bladder infections. Water distilled from the buds has been reported to have similar properties for use in treating humans.
The leaves or needles of the pine tree have been gathered during the summer and a decoction has previously been used in the treatment of rheumatism and gout in humans. The oleo-resin which drains from the bark of the pine tree is used to obtain turpentine, which is then distilled to produce oil of turpentine, which has been used by humans as an antiseptic and a nerve stimulant. Also, the Swiss mountain pine is known to produce pine essence, an essential oil obtained by distillation of the young branches and the buds. This pine essence has been used in the manufacture of bath salts and oils for humans and as an antiseptic and decongestant when taken internally by humans.
The Scots pine produces large quantities of turpentine for commercial use and pharmaceutical use. Its roots are a source of tar which has been found to be very efficacious for treatment of some skin diseases in humans. In the United States a syrup of tar used for scrofulous diseases in humans enjoys a high reputation. Colophony is an oleo-resin which is distilled to extract turpentine. The residue, after distillation, is used in pharmacy to make ointments, liniments and plasters for humans
When a pine oil is prescribed for human use, it is most often prescribed as Compound White Pine Syrup, or, Syrupus Pini Albae Compositus. This is, in reality, a herbal mixture and contains several active ingredients. Compound White Pine Syrup is used as a stimulant, aromatic, astringent, or a diuretic. Overdoses have been reported to cause bloating and flatulence and very large overdoses have even caused spasms and convulsions. Compound White Pine Syrup, as used to treat humans, is reported to stimulate both the heart and respiration, and its diuretic action, by increasing the flow of urine, may help the body to rid itself of toxins.
Given the extreme danger of colic to horses, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of treatment for horses which relieves the symptoms of colic.
Given the extreme danger of founder to horses, it is a further objective of the present invention is to provide a method of treatment of horses which relieves the symptoms of founder.
A third objective of the present invention is to provide a method of treatment of horses which is useful for the treatment of both colic and founder.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a safe and effective treatment for colic and/or founder in horses which may be safely administered to a horse by a lay person without the assistance and direction of a veterinarian.